Category: Technology

If you had asked me three months ago what chore I would want to give up doing in a perfect world it would have definitely been grocery shopping. I’m a stay at home mom and I have three kids under the age of five. I love being a stay at home mom and I cheerfully accept the responsibility for the house and for the chores. But as any stay at home parent can tell you going to the grocery store with your kids is always chaos.

Just getting the kids washed, dressed, and out the door takes an hour, then there’s the actual shopping and the time it takes to get home and put everything away when you have three kids in tow. It can make going to the store to pick up something to support all day event. It’s the worst, and I know I’m not the only parent who feels that way.

What Lead Me To It

At first, when grocery stores started doing grocery pick up I thought that was fantastic. I still had to get everyone washed and dressed and out the door but at least I didn’t have to try and corral the kids and find all the grocery items I needed walking endlessly up and down crowded aisles apologizing constantly for my kids. But then I discovered Instacart and home grocery delivery and it has completely changed my life.

More time to spend with family

Instacart has an app that you can use on a phone, tablet or on a PC. And you can choose the stores that you want to shop from so you can pretty much have all your errands done by other people. And you can shop online at any time and schedule your delivery times. So now instead of having to spend the entire day running around with three children I can go online after they are in bed and shop for groceries, prescriptions and household items from the drugstore, and even shop the sales at our favorite warehouse store.

I’m In Love

Then I can schedule the delivery for the next day while the kids are napping. The friendly shoppers text me if they have any questions and when they are on the way so I know when to expect them. And I get an email from Instacart with a photo of my shopper so I know who to expect.

It’s amazing how much more quality time I have when I don’t have to deal with the horrors of grocery shopping with small children. If you have small children try grocery delivery. It’s totally worth the cost and lets me use my spy apps in peace!

So much has changed in the last few years, especially when it comes to purchasing electronics. If you’re like me, then you love having the newest, shiniest, and fastest computers and smartphones out there. You can use these devices for all kinds of things, from doing a cell phone lookup to storing family photos. The big problem with buying electronics is that they depreciate even faster than cars do, which as we all know is incredibly fast.

But because there are so many distractions bombarding each and every one of us every single day, it’s hard to stay focused on what’s important, like buying the newest iPhone or MacBook. Luckily, there is hope. So many websites out there offer competitive deals on laptops, tablets, smartphones, digital cameras, and other electronics that your family needs.

Tips For Buying Electronics In 2018

Buy Used

The other thing that buying electronics has in common with buying cars is that it’s cheaper to get both used. Just like buying a used car, though, buying used electronics can be a bit tricky. But as long as the device is in decent shape, restoring it to factory settings should make it as good as new.

While electronics depreciate quickly, they’ll last a long time as long as you take care of them. Be sure to handle them with care every time you use them for a cell phone lookup. So, go with a used model the next time you buy an expensive electronic device. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and the 5miles app are all great places to search for people around you who are selling their electronics.

Order Online

You can usually find better tech deals online.

The better alternative is to do a cell phone lookup and shop online. Online giant Amazon has been at the forefront of the internet retail market for the past few years, but they aren’t the only reputable online vendor of electronic devices.

Another great online store is Newegg, which sells all sorts of gadgets. They even have a free shipping service called Newegg Premier, which is similar to Amazon Prime.

If you prefer getting into a bidding war, there’s always eBay. You can get cheaper prices, but you run the risk of buying used products that might be a bit out of shape. Sometimes, though, that better deal is just worth it.

When it comes to electronics, there are a ton of choices out there. A good guideline is to take the time to shop around before you make a purchase, unless it’s something you need right away. Buy used electronics when you can, and maybe sell your old ones to make room in your home and your budget for the new ones you want!

More and more people are cutting the cord and switching to streaming services. While most people just have Netflix, there are some of us who have subscriptions to multiple services, such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Showtime. Some people prefer having a bigger movie selection, and others just want to binge watch their favorite TV shows with their family. In addition, there are a few parents who like using a text message spy to keep track of what their children are watching. Which streaming service should you use? I’ve put together a small guide about the most popular ones.

Netflix

Both kids and parents love Netflix.

Netflix is everyone’s go-to for movies, TV series, and more. That’s because it has a little bit of everything. From classic sitcoms like “Friends,” to Disney movies that the whole family loves, to original supernatural series like “Stranger Things,” Netflix is a one-stop entertainment source. Its parental controls help parents rest easy, even if they don’t have a text message spy app installed on their child’s phone. Plus, Netflix starts at only $8 a month. Personally, I think that it’s best for people who are really into all kinds of movies, because its collection is a little sparse when it comes to both classic and newer releases.

Hulu

Hulu, on the other hand, is more geared toward people who are big fans of broadcast television. Some of the most successful shows of all time, like “Seinfeld” and “Will & Grace,” are exclusive to Hulu. It also offers new episodes of shows that are currently running on major networks, such as “Brooklyn Nine Nine.” They’re usually available to watch the day after their network premiere.

Amazon Prime Video

If you’re an Amazon Prime customer, then this is a no-brainer. It already comes with your membership, along with other perks such as two-day free shipping. However, if you aren’t interested in Amazon Prime, you can subscribe to their streaming service for just $9 a month. Amazon Prime Video offers a good mix of TV shows, movies, and original programming such as “Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams.” Plus, it’s the only streaming service that has the rights to the incredibly popular “Downton Abbey.”

Alexa

Some editions of the Kindle Fire are included with Alexa.

Amazon’s Alexa virtual personal assistant is a fantastic piece of technology to have in the household. Kids can use Alexa to help them with homework and answer questions that their parents don’t know. By using Alexa, your children can do better in school. That eliminates the need of hiring a tutor, who may or may not have arrest records. Plus, Alexa makes homework fun.

Parents can use Alexa to order important household supplies on Amazon without having to log into a computer. It’s also great for looking up facts, hearing the news, listening to music, getting recipes, and many other things. Best of all, Alexa is inexpensive. This technology is also available on some versions of the Kindle Fire, which means that parents who already have one don’t need to purchase yet another electronic.

Home Video Surveillance

Smaller and more advanced cameras have made it inexpensive to get a home security system with video. Parents can watch their kids after school, right from the office, by using video security cameras. You can also see who is at the door, which friends come over, and what’s going on in the house when they aren’t home. This allows you to discover if anyone with arrest records has entered your home.

Nowadays, most security systems can accessed from your smartphone. So, you’d be able to interact with your kids, turn lights on or off, and even adjust the thermostat in the house, no matter where you are. This gives you peace of mind and keeps your children safe at home when you can’t be there.

Boon Glo Nightlight With Portable Balls

The innovative Boon Glo nightlight with portable balls is something that you should buy for each of your children. You might even want one yourself. This nightlight uses LED lights that can change color. The light consists of three stems, and each one holds a lighted, portable ball that is perfectly sized for a child’s hand. The balls can be removed from the stems, so you or your child can use them like flashlights. This is perfect for late night trips to the bathroom or trips downstairs for a snack. Just make sure that the balls are returned to the stems after you use them. Otherwise, you’ll constantly be fishing them out from underneath your furniture.

Graco Vibrating Baby Monitor

Baby monitors are standard equipment for parents. The Graco Vibrating baby monitor, on the other hand, is great for parents who like to play video games or watch TV after the kids go to bed. If you have headphones on or are cuddled up watching Netflix, you might not always hear the baby monitor go off. But this one vibrates and lights up to get your attention. No matter what you’re doing, you won’t miss your child waking up or getting out of their crib or bed.

If you and your spouse both have full-time jobs, you know that it can be a real challenge trying to meet the demands of both work and parenthood. Luckily, modern technology makes that struggle a little easier. It can help you keep your household organized, focus on work, and still manage to spend time with your family. There is even a way to monitor your child’s online activity on their phone and make sure they’re safe. The amount of positive Auto Forward spy reviews suggest that it’s the best app for cell phone monitoring. Here are a few other ways that technology makes it easier for parents to keep track of everything.

Scheduling

Modern households run on a pretty tight schedule and everyone needs to be on the same page. Shared calendars and scheduling apps make it easy to share a schedule with every member of the household. After an update is added, the app syncs with your family’s schedules, guaranteeing that no one misses out on a change.

Smarter Cars

Busy parents spend a lot of time in their cars. Most of the time, they’re either driving their kids to and from various places, or they’re running errands. But thanks to smart technology in cars, it’s easy to get a lot of other things done while you’re on the move. With voice activated support, you can listen to the news, get the weather, return phone calls and catch up on social media, all while driving. New text messages will be read to you and you can respond by voice. Your phone or tablet will type what you say and send it as a text or an email. You can also find the nearest dry cleaner and update your schedule, all from your car.

Shopping

Reading Auto Forward spy reviews and then downloading the app can let you check up on your kids when you’re on the go.

Running errands is something that every parent hates. Rushing from store to store, just to keep the pantry stocked with essentials, is time consuming when you have a full-time job and a family. If all you really want is to spend time with your spouse and kids, it can be a real downer to waste hours on errands.

Amazon Echo can solve that problem, thanks to its virtual assistant, Alexa. It can order household supplies and even food directly from Amazon for you, so you don’t need to run extra errands. Alexa can also help you make lists of what you need. When you’re ready to go, the virtual assistant can give you directions that will get you back home as soon as possible. There are also apps that can let you keep track of what your child is doing while you’re out. Numerous Auto Forward spy reviews recommend it as one of the best apps out there right now.

Paperwork

How many times has your child forgotten to give you a permission slip until the day it was due? When you’re on the go and you need to keep a backup copy of your documents, an iPad Pro is a great tool to have. You can electronically sign documents with the iPad Pro stylus and email them wherever they need to go. Or, you can take a photo of the signed document and upload it online. The iPad Pro makes your car a temporary office; if you’re stuck at your child’s football practice or dance class, you can still get your work done.

Do you have any questions about other ways to stay organized? Get in touch with me by visiting my Contact page.